Use This Risk Assessment to Determine If a Task Is a Hazardous Manual Task and If So

Risk Assessment Hazardous Manual Task

Use this Risk Assessment to determine if a task is a ‘Hazardous Manual Task’ and if so, how to control the risks. The workers performing the task are the task experts and should be involved and consulted in this assessment.

SCHOOL/WORKPLACE:______DATE:______

DETAILS OF WORKER/S ASSESSING TASK e.g. Fred Bloggs, SO, Blue Sky SHS, 0404 040 040, [email protected]

1. 2. 3. 4. DETAILS OF TASK

Name of task: Where is task done, and by who? General task description including tools/equipment:

How often is task done? Daily Weekly Monthly Annually More info: Why was the task identified as a potential hazardous manual task? Caused previous injury (MyHR Incident No.(if Dangerous Hate it? Why? known): Awkward / ______) difficult Anticipate it will cause injury Strenuous  Other: Causes fatigue / discomfort / pain Tiring Causes numbness / tingling Repetitive Are there stressors? Are there environmental factors? Is there an injury history? Lack of control over Broken/ poorly maintained equipment: Worker/s had previous work ______sprain/strain injury Tight deadlines ______Worker/s currently recovering Distractingly boring Poor lighting/glare:______from sprain/strain injury How old is the worker/s? Overwhelmingly Slippery/uneven mentally demanding floor:______Under 20 20 - 30 Poor support Physical 30 – 40 40 - 50 obstructions:______Poor relationships 50 – 60 60 + Heat:______Poor communication Prefer not to disclose Cold:______

This Risk Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Managing Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure 1 Organisational Health Created August 2014, V1 Department of Education, Training and Employment Uncontrolled when printed Change Humidity:______Wind______Does the load have any of these higher risk characteristics? Unstable / unwieldy Live (people / animal): ______Heavy (weight?):______Difficult to grip ______Large/bulky (dimensions?):______

This Risk Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Managing Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure 2 Organisational Health Created August 2014, V1 Department of Education, Training and Employment Uncontrolled when printed ASSESS RISKS BODY PARTS  Tick which risks are  Tick which body part is affected by the risk/s present Neck Back Shoulde Arms Legs The task is a Hazardous Manual upper and r elbows, knees and Task if one or more boxes are ticked. lower back wrists and ankles The more boxes ticked, the more and hip fingers hazardous the task. Are there forces that are high, sudden, repetitive or sustained?

Heavy work or high effort required e.g. takes all or almost all your effort Sudden or jerking effort e.g.      opening a tight window, starting machinery with a pull cord, handling a live or unstable load Fast forces are involved e.g. throwing, catching, hitting, kicking, jumping

Are there awkward or sustained      postures with long duration? standing on one leg Joint at extreme range (very uncomfortable) Joint near extreme range (uncomfortable) Joint in mid-range (not in neutral position so slightly uncomfortable over time)  The same position is held for 30 or more seconds (how long?______) AND The task is done continuously for 30 minutes or more (how long? ______), OR for 2 or more hours when spread across a day/shift (how long?______)

Are there repetitive movements with long duration?

The same movement is done very frequently (at least once every 30 seconds) e.g. sweeping, wiping, stacking chairs, handling books, hammering, shovelling, lifting and      carrying similar items AND The task is done continuously for 30 minutes or more (how long? ______), OR for 2 or more hours when spread across a day/shift (how long?______)

This Risk Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Managing Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure Organisational Health Created August 2014, V1 Department of Education, Training and Employment Uncontrolled when printed 3 Is there exposure to vibration? The following may cause risk of vibration, but further assessment Frequent or prolonged use of power tools or equipment with will be needed: high vibration e.g. brush cutter, grinder, mower, chainsaw, Using high grip forces or awkward jack hammer postures when using power tools Using vehicles, machines or power tools where the  Using vehicles, machines or power manufacturer’s handbook warns of vibration and safety tools not suitable for the task instructions are not followed Frequent or prolonged driving on rough roads, or driving for long periods

This Risk Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Managing Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure Organisational Health Created August 2014, V1 Department of Education, Training and Employment Uncontrolled when printed 4 SUGGESTED CONTROLS IMPLEMENTATION DETAILS  Discuss control options with workers, as the task  Provide details about implementing experts the controls  Firstly, always implement Level 1 controls, if reasonably  Document all decisions, including practicable. If not, document why, and next try to why Level 1 or 2 controls may not implement Level 2 controls. If a Level 2 control is also not have been reasonably practicable reasonably practicable, again document why, and then to implement implement Level 3 controls. A combination of controls may be required. Stressors, Environmental factors, Injury history, and Age Stressors that are identified are reviewed/discussed between workers and managers to identify ways to manage these Environmental factors that are identified are addressed Injury history and age of workers is taken into consideration via consultation between workers, managers and rehabilitation staff Forces that are high, sudden, repetitive or sustained Level 1 Control – Eliminate or partially eliminate task e.g. automate task or deliver goods to point of use to reduce multiple handling Level 2 Control o Substitution - e.g. replace heavy items for light/small/easy to handle items, replace hand tools with power tools to reduce forces o Engineering –e.g. use mechanical lifting aids or provide workstations or work platforms that are height adjustable Level 3 Control o Administrative – e.g. use team handling (as an interim control only as it carries risks), more rest breaks

Awkward or Sustained postures and Repetitive Movements with long duration

Level 1 Control – Eliminate or partially eliminate task e.g. automate task or deliver goods to point of use to reduce multiple handling Level 2 Control o Substitution - e.g. replace hand tools with power tools to shorten task o Engineering –e.g. use mechanical lifting aids or provide workstations or work platforms that are height adjustable Level 3 Control o Administrative – e.g. reduce work pace, rotate workers, more rest breaks, additional workers Vibration Level 1 Control – Eliminate or partially eliminate task e.g. redesign grounds/gardens to reduce mowing, leaf blowing,

This Risk Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Managing Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure Organisational Health Created August 2014, V1 Department of Education, Training and Employment Uncontrolled when printed 5 brush cutting etc. Level 2 Control o Substitution - e.g. purchase tools/equipment with least vibration o Isolation – e.g. isolate vibrating machinery from the user, such as by providing fully independent seating on mobile plant Level 3 Control o Administrative – e.g. rotate workers, more frequent breaks o Personal protective equipment (PPE) – e.g. provide vibration-absorbing gloves APPROVAL

 Approved as submitted.

 Approved with the following condition/s:

 Not approved for the following reason/s:

By: Designation:

Signed: Date:

Once approved, risk assessment details should be entered into the Hazardous Manual Tasks Register by administrative staff.

MONITOR AND REVIEW To be completed after the controls have been Yes No implemented.

Are the control measures effective?  

Have there been any changes?  

Are further actions required?  

Details:

This Risk Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Managing Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure Organisational Health Created August 2014, V1 Department of Education, Training and Employment Uncontrolled when printed 6 By: Designation:

Signed: Date:

This Risk Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Managing Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure Organisational Health Created August 2014, V1 Department of Education, Training and Employment Uncontrolled when printed 7 EXPLANATORY NOTES

WHAT IS A HAZARDOUS MANUAL TASK? A hazardous manual task is a task that involves any of the following: a) high or sudden forces; b) awkward or sustained postures; c) repetitive movements; d) long duration (when coupled with other risk factors); and/or e) exposure to vibration. See further information below.

WHAT DOES ‘REASONABLY PRACTICABLE’ MEAN? The guiding principle of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 is that all people are given the highest level of health and safety protection from hazards arising from work, so far as is reasonably practicable (section 18). The term ‘reasonably practicable’ means what could reasonably be done at a particular time to ensure health and safety measures were in place. In determining what is reasonably practicable, there is a requirement to weigh up all relevant matters including:  the likelihood of a hazard or risk occurring (i.e. the probability of a person being exposed to harm)  the degree of harm that would result if the hazard or risk occurred (i.e. the potential seriousness of injury or harm)  what the person concerned knows, or ought to reasonably know, about the hazard or risk and ways of eliminating or minimising it  the availability of suitable ways to eliminate or minimise the hazard or risk  the cost of eliminating or minimising the hazard or risk. Ordinarily, cost will not be the key factor in determining what it is reasonable for a duty holder to do unless it can be shown to be ‘grossly disproportionate’ to the risk. If the risk is particularly severe, the Principal/Manager will need to demonstrate that costly safety measures are not reasonably practicable due to their expense and that other less costly measures could also effectively minimise the risk.

STRESS Research indicates that stress is closely linked with the onset of sprain and strain injuries, due to the physiological impact stress has on the body. Therefore if a worker is performing a hazardous manual task and is also stressed, they are at even greater risk of injury. If workers identify any of the stressors listed on page 1, explore the issues in greater depth with them to determine possible solutions. For more information refer to the Work Health and Safety Consultation, Co-operation and Co-ordination Code of Practice 2011.

AGING WORKFORCE An additional risk factor that will increasingly contribute to sprain and strain injuries is the aging workforce. Research indicates that older workers (e.g. 50+) have reduced strength and flexibility, and slower movements and reaction times. Older workers are more likely to have cumulative damage from long-term wear and tear, and tend to have less frequent but more serious injuries requiring longer (and therefore more costly) recovery periods. Research shows that older workers are an asset for workplaces due to their reliability, commitment and dedication to duty, minimal turnover and absenteeism, and diversity of expertise, knowledge and skills. Therefore, the risk of aging needs to be managed to prevent injury to older workers so they can continue to contribute key benefits to workplaces.

FORCE High forces are related to a) the intensity of the force needed, b) the speed involved, and c) whether the force is jerky or sudden. Any task involving high force may be a risk, even if it is only done occasionally or for short periods. Forces may approach maximum where objects are heavy, bulky, unstable, difficult to grip, or handled from an awkward or static posture or not in close to the body. High and sudden forces are also associated with the handling of live persons or animals. If a worker has to take a break during or after a task e.g. stop for a breather, maximum force has probably been exerted.

AWKWARD OR SUSTAINED POSTURES A neutral posture is standing relaxed in a forward facing position, with elbows slightly bent, wrists in the handshake position and feet at shoulder width apart. Muscles are relaxed (neither contracted nor stretched), joints are at rest, the spine is aligned (not twisted sideways or bent forwards/backwards) and there is the least tension/pressure on the nerves, tendons, muscles and bones. Awkward postures begin when body parts deviate from the neutral or natural posture. Awkward postures may include squatting, kneeling and bending or twisting of various joints. At worst, joints are at their extremes of range, such as head bent fully back/forward/sideways, arms fully overhead or outstretched, back bending over completely, or legs in full squat. Sustained postures are those held in the same position for more than 30 seconds e.g. supporting a load.

REPETETIVE MOVEMENTS

This Risk Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Managing Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure Organisational Health Created August 2014, V1 Department of Education, Training and Employment Uncontrolled when printed 8 Repetition is using the same parts of the body to repeat similar movements i.e. the same task is performed very frequently, such as more than twice a minute (task cycle is 30 seconds or less). The shorter the cycle time, the higher the level of repetition. Cleaning tasks are commonly highly repetitious e.g. mopping a floor, where one cycle would be one second to push the mop forward and backward. Stacking chairs can also be very repetitions, where it may take 30 seconds (or less) to pick up, carry and place one chair and return for another.

VIBRATION Vibration can be whole body or hand-arm and can cause symptoms such as fatigue, pain, numbness, tingling or general discomfort in any body parts. Examples of sources of vibration are: driving, particularly on rough roads; lawn mowing, frequent or prolonged use of power tools; and using machines or tools where the manufacturer’s handbook warns of vibration. A jack hammer produces extreme vibration, moderate vibration is produced by equipment such as leaf blowers, high pressure cleaners, brush cutters, ride-on or push mowers, and power tools, and low vibration is produced by equipment such as vacuum cleaners.

This Risk Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Managing Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure Organisational Health Created August 2014, V1 Department of Education, Training and Employment Uncontrolled when printed 9